The Little Yank back to winning ways Liam Quinlan came in for a winning spare ride on The Little Yank in Division 2 of the Belvedere House & Gardens Handicap Hurdle at Kilbeggan. The admirable 10-year-old gelding won the seventh race of his career and first since September 2022. He made a winning move to swamp his rivals approaching the straight and was full of running as he cleared the last and kept on well to come in by three and three-quarter lengths at 16/1. Bigira finished second at 11s and was some nine lengths clear of Southgate Avenue (13/2). John Ryan said: “It’s great to get him back and the osteopath Jim Bergin did a lot of work on him. “It’s very hard luck on John Aherne (stood down after a fall in the previous race). Liam has ridden plenty of winners for me in the past but its hard on poor John and hopefully he’ll be alright.” Additional reporting by Alan Magee
